Women's Basketball

Women's Basketball Downs UMass Boston, 53-45

NORTH DARTMOUTH, MA-The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's women's basketball team defeated visiting UMass Boston, 53-45, in the first game of a Little East Conference double-header at the Tripp Athletic Center Tuesday evening.

The Corsairs' defense held the Beacons scoreless for a span of over six minutes late in the second half and finished the game on a 17-5 run en route to the victory.

UMass Dartmouth had their largest lead of the game at 34-25 when the Beacons capped off a 15-2 run of their own with back to back to back three pointers to turn a nine point deficit into a four point lead at 40-36 with 7:25 to play. Freshman guard Bethany Rossoll (Colorado Springs, CO/Thomas B) led the charge with seven points on a pair of jumpers and a trey. Junior forward Cammy Brown (Malden, MA/Malden) added a jumper, and both freshman guard Sarah McDonough (Weymouth, MA/Archbishop Williams) and senior forward Caroline Ashe (West Roxbury, MA/Mount Alvernia) drilled shots from beyond the arc.

The Beacons' three-point bombs were a wake-up call for the Corsairs, as the defense clamped down. Corsairs' junior guard Lynley DeAmato (Melrose, MA/Melrose) scored consecutive lay-ups off of UMass Boston turnovers to tie the game at 40. A free throw from junior forward Tashauna Ashmeade (Hyannis, MA/Barnstable) put the Corsairs in front for good, and DeAmato canned a three from the wing to push the lead to 44-40 with less than three minutes to play.

A pair of free throws by sophomore guard Stephanie Houtman (New Bedford, MA/Bridgewater St) and DeAmato capped a 12-0 Corsair run, making it 48-40 with just under a minute left in the contest. Ashe and DeAmato would trade a pair of free throws for their respective teams, and Ashe added a three pointer from the baseline to pull the Beacons within 50-45. UMass Boston fouled on the ensuing in bounds play and Houtman calmly sank both free throws of a one and one, securing the win.

"A win is a win," said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Amanda Van Voorhis. "I'm happy how we managed the last two minutes. We managed the clock, we made our free throws. We did things well the last two minutes but not well the first 38 and we are going to have to play better down the stretch if we want to make the playoffs."

DeAmato led all scorers with a game-high 15 points, including 6 of 6 from the foul line. Joining her in double-figures were Houtman with 13 points and Ashmeade with 10. The Beacons' offense was led by McDonough with 14 points. Ashe chipped in with 10 points.

The Corsairs improved to 9-13 and 4-7 in the Little East Conference with the victory, while the Beacons dropped to 4-17 and 0-11 in LEC play with the defeat. UMass Dartmouth will return to action when they visit Eastern Connecticut State in the first game of a Little East Conference doubleheader Saturday. UMass Boston will visit Plymouth State Saturday.